The blood-soaked arena is back — and this time, it’s more personal than ever. Squid Game Season 3 has finally dropped on Netflix (June 27), and while fans were thrilled to dive back into the high-stakes survival thriller, the explosive finale has left viewers stunned, emotional, and full of questions.
In a surprising twist, the series closes with Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) sacrificing himself — not to win, but to ensure the survival of a newborn baby, the daughter of Jun-hee and Myung-gi. This innocent child becomes the symbolic “winner,” spared from the brutality that has claimed so many. As Gi-hun draws his final breath, it’s not victory he’s after — it’s redemption.
But what fans didn’t expect? This wasn’t how it was supposed to end.
A Last-Minute Change of Heart by Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk
Speaking to Variety, creator Hwang Dong-hyuk revealed that the Season 3 ending wasn’t what he originally envisioned. “In the beginning, I had something entirely different in mind,” he said. “As I built Gi-hun’s journey and watched the story unfold through his eyes, it became clear — this wasn’t the ending he needed. The ending had to evolve.”
Originally, Gi-hun was meant to make the opposite choice. But as Hwang dug deeper into the character’s transformation and the emotional weight of his promise to protect the baby, everything changed. “This version was more true, more powerful,” Hwang added.
Front Man’s Redemption and a Haunting Farewell
In a moment few saw coming, The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), long viewed as the ruthless puppet master of the game, shows rare humanity. After witnessing Gi-hun’s selfless act, he retrieves the baby from the arena and ensures she receives the full 45.6 billion won prize money. The icy enforcer sheds his mask, quite literally, to honor a fallen player.
This marks a shift in their ideological war — Gi-hun’s unwavering belief in human kindness versus The Front Man’s cynical view of humanity. Their final confrontation encapsulates the heart of Squid Game: a brutal clash of values disguised as a game of survival.
Sae-byeok’s Ghost and the Power of a Memory
One of the season’s most powerful scenes unfolds when Gi-hun is tempted to betray his principles and murder other players in their sleep. Just as he’s about to cross the line, a vision of Sae-byeok (HoYeon Jung) appears — her voice soft, but piercing. “You’re not that kind of person,” she says. That single line stops him in his tracks.
Hwang confirmed the callback was intentional. “Her voice was the only thing that could stop his knife,” he said. “She’s his moral compass — even beyond death.”
A New Beginning? Cate Blanchett’s Mysterious Cameo
While Gi-hun’s journey ends here, the Squid Game universe may just be getting started. The finale teases a chilling future: Cate Blanchett makes a surprise cameo as a mysterious new Recruiter, shown scouting participants for a U.S.-based game in Los Angeles. Could Squid Game: America be next?
Hwang didn’t confirm a spinoff, but he left the door open. “There’s closure, but also a lingering feeling,” he said. “If the right opportunity comes, maybe there’s space for new stories to grow.”
